The Favor
by heidipoo
Summary: "Either you or the baby will survive, not both. I'm sorry." AJ is carrying Dolph Ziggler's child, but she now has some hard decisions to make. Is she willing to give up her own life so that her unborn baby can have one? And where does CM Punk come into all of this?
1. Bad News

**Author's Note: Well, here we are with another Punklee story. I've had this idea in my head for a while now, and I'm not too sure how it's going to play out. So let me know if you like this or not. Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means so much to me. Anyway, here you are, so without further ado, I give you: The Favor.**

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"Either you or the baby will survive, not both. I'm sorry." The doctor spoke in a melancholy tone of voice. AJ tried not to focus on what he had just said. Instead, she counted the cracks in the ceiling tiles. Instead, she noticed how small this examination room was. Instead, she looked up to the blinding white lights to try and forget that she was even here.

"AJ?" She heard Dolph Ziggler say; he pulled her out of her dream land. AJ blinked, and looked over at the doctor. He was expressionless. In that moment, all the blood drained from AJ's face and she buried her face in her small hands. How could this be happening? Especially to her? Good things were supposed to happen to good people right?

"Again, I'm sorry." The doctor spoke softly, and Dolph ran a hand through his bleached hair.

"No..." AJ whispered as she finally looked up with tears dancing in her chocolate orbs. This wasn't real. Any moment she would wake up in her big comfy bed at home, and this would all be a dream. "No." That was all she could say. All the thoughts buzzing through her head made it so hard to concentrate. They wanted a baby; she and Dolph wanted to be a family. This is what they got.

Everything was all worked out for she and Dolph. AJ was on maternity leave in the WWE. They already bought so many baby things. She picked out cute dorky names for her child. She was happy, and this is what she got. An ultimatum. Either her or the baby. How could someone be faced with a choice like that? To some it would be easy, but to AJ, she just wasn't too sure about this yet. How could she be?

"Doctor, is there something-" Dolph tried to speak but AJ interrupted him.

"No." She said again as her small hand moved protectively over her protruding baby bump. "No."

"Can you explain?" Dolph asked.

"You see," The doctor started. "AJ's heart is too weak. If she does go through with the birth of the baby, she'll go into cardiac arrest and pass away. The baby will be fine, it just won't have a mother." He explained. "But, you're not that far along in your pregnancy yet, AJ, so you could abort the baby if you wanted to." He also said, and AJ looked at him like he was crazy.

"Are you serious?" The spitfire asked as she cocked her head.

"The choice is yours." The doctor said.

"I think we need time, doctor." Dolph answered. "Why don't we head back, and we'll let you know our decision at our next appointment?" He suggested. The doctor nodded but AJ was infuriated.

"Our decision?" She yelled. "Don't you mean my decision?" She asked directed towards Dolph.

"Come on, AJ, let's go." Dolph said as he began to walk out the door of the clinic, and climbed into the rental car. AJ scoffed and followed behind him. She got into the car too. "Let's talk about this." Dolph tried to coax as he started up the car. The engine roared to life as AJ turned to glare at him.

"There's nothing to talk about Dolph. Shut up and let me think." She snapped as she turned to look out the window. Dolph shrugged, and began to drive back to the hotel. Maybe if he gave her some space, she would come to her senses and stop acting so crazy. He had to admit, she was probably hurt though.

The couple then drove back to the hotel in complete silence, and if Dolph were to utter a sound, AJ would immediately snap on him and tell him to shut up. He obliged, and finally they reached their final destination. Even the elevator ride to the room was quiet, and finally when they got to their room, Dolph couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Just abort the baby, AJ!" He yelled. "It's just a kid." He pointed out.

"Just a... Just a kid? Dolph, are you serious right now?" She yelled. "This is a baby, a life inside of me! A life that hasn't even got to live yet." AJ argued. "I'm not aborting this baby."

"I don't want to raise the damn thing by myself!" Dolph yelled back at her. "You're the one that wanted a kid, not me!"

"Fuck you Dolph! We decided this together! Now you want to back out just because we have an ultimatum? You sound so selfish right now!" The petite woman said as she put her hands on her hips. "I'm so sick of you!"

"Selfish? How am I being selfish?" He asked.

"You want me to give up a life because you don't want to take responsibility!" She answered him. "I wouldn't want you to raise my baby anyway!"

"AJ, what are you saying?" He asked as he ran another hand through his hair.

"I'm saying that I'm having this baby, and I don't want you near it!" AJ snarled. "I'm leaving you Dolph. I'll find someone to raise this baby, even if I have to give it up for adoption!" She said as she stormed around the luxurious hotel room gathering her items.

"AJ, come on. Stop." Dolph said as he grabbed her arm, trying to get her to calm down.

"Don't touch me, we're done." She said simply as she shouldered one of her bags and left the room. AJ would have to get a room of her own. Sure, what she just did was probably really stupid, but she and her baby was better off without Dolph. He was just a sperm doner to her now. Albeit, she did love him, but he was hiding his true self. Now that it was out, she couldn't care less.

AJ only had one thing on her mind now, and that was getting someone to take care of her baby after she was gone.

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**To be continued...?**


	2. Rekindle

The next morning, AJ decided to head down to the hotel lobby to get some breakfast. Hopefully, down there she wouldn't run into Dolph; knowing him, he would definitely make a scene. She wasn't sure whether she should tell anyone about her pregnancy yet, especially since she wasn't even really showing yet. AJ figured that secrecy was her best option. As she showed up downstairs to the catering room, there weren't that many people, and AJ was very thankful for that. She'd rather just eat in silence, and head back to her room.

Grabbing a paper plate, she then started to pick and choose through the food that was laid out for the various hotel guests. Deciding that she wasn't that hungry, she only grabbed a couple of biscuits and some orange juice. Feeling satisfied at her breakfast decision, AJ smiled and began to head to one of the comfy chairs that was in the lobby.

"AJ?" She heard from behind her, and the petite girl got scared and dropped all of her food on the floor. The voice didn't sound like it belonged to Dolph Ziggler, so she was extremely thankful for that.

"Damn it." She cursed as the paper plate fell to the floor along with her biscuits. AJ then turned around to see who caused all of this ruckus, only to find that it was none other than CM Punk. Woah, talk about a blast from the past. "You made me drop my food!" She complained to the straight edge man, who just stood there looking over her.

"That's all I get?" Punk scoffed. "No hello? No hey Punk, how you been?" He laughed lightly as he watched the diva pick up the spilled food. AJ smiled, he definitely still had charm after all this time. AJ rolled her eyes and sighed. He was still the same asshole, even after all the time they hadn't spoken or seen each other. He hadn't changed a single bit. AJ couldn't help but envy him for that. He stayed the same, while she on the other hand had experienced many changes.

"You're not going to say sorry for making me drop my food?" AJ retorted as Punk squatted down to help her pick it up. Okay, so maybe he wasn't a total asshole, still he could be a jerk sometimes.

"Nope." Punk grinned, snapping his lips on the word as he stood up. "It was your own fault, you're so clumsy."

"Hey Punk, long time no see." AJ replied as she stood up and looked up at the man. "That better?" She asked with a jovial grin.

"Much." He answered with a satisfactory smile as he crossed his tattooed arms. "I'm good, you?" He replied as he followed AJ to get more food from the catering table.

"Good, but hungry." The spitfire joked as she piled some more food onto a new plate.

"You look different." Punk pointed out. "Almost radiant..." He added and AJ looked back at him with an incredulous look on her pretty face. There was no way in hell that he could tell she was pregnant this early. But after all, people did say pregnant women did have a glow about them. AJ racked her mind for something to say, to change the subject. She did not want anyone to know about her pregnancy.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" She questioned. "I'm newly single. I must have that single girl aura." She said a little sarcastically, causing Punk to chuckle.

"Oh, so Ziggy wasn't the one?" He joked.

"I thought he was." AJ said as she took a bite of her new biscuits. "But, people change." She shrugged.

"Not all cracked up as he was to be?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Punk replied as he leaned against the table and watched AJ eat her breakfast.

"Don't be." She said. "It was for the best." She really hoped that Punk wouldn't ask anymore questions, because honestly, she didn't know how to answer him without revealing her fate.

"Well, I don't mean to sound like a douche bag, and hit on you right after you just broke up with someone, but would you like to go to dinner with me?" CM Punk asked, and this took AJ by surprise. Did Punk really just ask her out again?

"Punk." The petite diva started. "Me and you already had our run... Do you really think it would work out again?" She questioned. The truth was, she really did want to be with Punk again. But she was pregnant, and would be dead in about nine months or so, AJ was supposed to be finding a family for her unborn baby. Punk sighed.

"Yeah, but things are different now." The straight edge said.

"I don't know..." AJ said as she bit her lip.

"Come on, are you gonna make me beg?" Punk asked, causing AJ to laugh.

"Maybe." AJ smiled.

"Please? Come to dinner with me?" Punk asked, his tone softer.

"Okay fine." AJ agreed. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but she hoped it would be okay. Maybe they would just go as friends? Maybe he wouldn't try to make advances on her.

"Awesome, I'll see you later." Punk said and started to make his way to the elevator.

"Wait!" AJ called out.

"Huh?" Punk asked turning around to face the small diva again.

"Won't you stay and have breakfast with me?" She asked and Punk chuckled.

"I don't eat breakfast." Punk retorted and with that, he made his way to the elevator and disappeared. AJ found herself thinking about the straight edge man now. Did she still have feelings for him after all this time? Maybe so, but she didn't want to dig in too deep. Due to her situation, CM Punk would be the one getting hurt in the end this time.


	3. Coming Clean

After that one dinner date, AJ could no longer resist CM Punk. She had wanted to keep her distance from the straight edge man, so he wouldn't end up getting hurt, but she couldn't help herself. During the dinner, he had to have maxed out his charm or something, because AJ was in shock of how many feelings had come back to her. The two weren't really an official couple as time passed, but they were getting pretty close, and hanging out with each other an awful lot.

But between all the sweet dates and late nights, AJ was sneaking off to go to the doctor and the adoption agency. She was still going to have this baby, without Dolph Ziggler, and she was determined to find the perfect family for her unborn baby. She just had to.

CM Punk made AJ happy, and she was so thankful for him. However, as the spitfire's pregnancy progressed, she knew she was going to have to come clean soon; that was something she was not looking forward to. She was surprised Punk hadn't noticed that she was gaining weight, or getting a little baby bump. She was nearly four months pregnant already. Her body was growing weaker and weaker every day that passed, and she knew she was going to have to tell Punk sooner or later.

One day though, when AJ was about five months pregnant, she stopped hanging out with Punk. She just stopped cold turkey. She didn't call him, she didn't text him, and the straight edge knew that something was wrong. AJ couldn't even get out of bed because of the weakness of her body. She had many texts and calls from the superstar, but the spitfire ignored them. This went on for about a weak, until Punk decided to find AJ and confront her.

"AJ, open the door!" CM Punk yelled as he knocked a little too forcefully. AJ, who was laid up in bed sat up and she panicked. Should she let Punk in? Should she let him see her pregnant belly? "AJ?" Punk asked.

"Come in!" The spitfire replied in a weak voice. Punk could sense something was wrong. He opened the door slowly, and made his way inside. There he saw AJ laying in bed with the blankets up to her neck, and a box of tissues beside her. "Hey." She greeted weakly. Punk took in her appearance questioningly.

"Hey," He replied. "Are you sick?" Punk asked as he sat down on the bed gently beside the small diva. AJ laughed and struggled to prop herself up.

"I guess you could say that." She smiled.

"Is, uh, that why you've been ignoring me for the past two weeks?" He asked as he scratched his head. He didn't mean to sound like her was nagging, but he had really missed the spitfire.

"I didn't mean to.." She drawled out.

"Y'know I really like you AJ, but if you didn't want-" He started to say until she interrupted him.

"Punk, I have something to tell you. I need you to be patient with me, because there is no easy way to say this." AJ said. He merely nodded.

"Okay, go on with it." He prompted. AJ then threw the big blanket off of her, only to reveal that she was wearing a big baggy sweater that came down to her knees.

"Can you help me out of bed?" She asked as she looked up at him with her chocolate doe eyes. He nodded and went to put his hand on her back, and used his other to grab her hand. He was confused as to why she needed help getting out of bed. Was she really that sick? Once she was standing up on her own, she let go of Punk and stood straight. "Thanks." She said.

"Now what?" Punk asked.

"There's something I need to show you..." She said a little hesitantly.

"Okay." Punk nodded and he watched as ever so slowly AJ lifted up the baggy sweater to reveal her slight baby bump. It wasn't huge yet, but it was still very protruding and noticeable. It stuck out just barely so she couldn't see her feet. Punk just stood there staring. He wasn't sure what to say. "AJ, you're-"

"I'm about five months pregnant." She said as she looked up at him. He really couldn't believe it. All this time she hid it so well because he had no idea that she was expecting.

"And you kept it from me?" He asked as his dark eyebrows shot up on his forehead. "Why?" AJ sat back down on the bed carefully.

"I have a good reason." She said solemnly.

"Oh yeah?" Punk asked as he crossed his arms. "And what is it?"

"Well, the first reason is that it's Dolph's baby." AJ started.

"He abandoned you?" Punk questioned.

"No, no." AJ said a little hastily. "I left him..." This time Punk scoffed.

"Now why would you do that?" The straight edge questioned.

"Because my pregnancy is high risk. The doctor said either me or the baby would make it, and Dolph wanted me to get an abortion." AJ explained. "That's why I left him. I want my baby to have a life, but in a few more months, I'll be dead, and I haven't even found a family for my baby yet..." She said as she began to tear up.

"AJ-"

"My body keeps getting weaker, I can't even get out of bed by myself." She said as she started to cry. "That's why I didn't want to become involved with you again, I didn't want you to get hurt if I died..."

"AJ-" Punk tried to say but she kept talking.

"Punk...?" AJ asked.

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to help me find a family for this baby... I don't want Dolph to have it." She begged.

"Okay."


	4. It's Time

For the next few months CM Punk dedicated his time into helping AJ find a home for the baby. Although, her body was getting much too weak so she could barely do anything. She and Punk went back to her apartment in New Jersey, and Punk found himself taking care of AJ. He didn't know why he was, but he knew that he had some type of feelings for the spitfire. AJ knew she had feelings for him too.

The two didn't talk about it though. With AJ's already doomed fate, love and relationships was a touchy subject for her. She was going to die in a few months, and she didn't want Punk involved with that. She wanted him to help her and move on. That was it. AJ just wanted him to be happy.

They took their time in going to adoption agencies, doctors appointments... But each time they thought they found the perfect home, AJ always had a change of heart, or found something wrong with the family. With the rate that they were going, and the struggles that kept coming up, AJ was afraid that she'd never find someone to raise her unborn baby, and that she would be forced to give it to Dolph.

It was late one night, as AJ and Punk had just gotten back to the apartment. Still they had come at a loss for finding a family. "Thanks for helping again today Punk..." AJ said a bit glumly as she sat her bags down by the front door. Punk scratched his head as he looked at her. She looked so frail, and weak. A part of him felt bad for her, but then he stopped himself because he knew AJ was not the type for pity.

"I'm sorry we still didn't find anybody." Punk said as he looked on.

AJ shook her head, "It's okay. There's always tomorrow, right?" She smiled fakely.

"Yeah, always tomorrow." Punk stated optimistically. "Do you need help getting to bed?" He asked with a small smile.

"No, I think I can manage. Goodnight Punk." AJ said as she began to carefully make her way up the stairs. Punk sighed as he watched and made sure she got up there okay. This was hard for him. It was hard for him to watch the girl he loved suffer at the cost of another man. He wanted more than anything for AJ to find the perfect family for her baby. She at least deserved that much before she passed away, right?

CM Punk only shook his head as he walked to the small kitchen in the apartment to get something to drink, realizing he was extremely tired from the day's events as he felt fatigue wash over him. As soon as he chugged down a Pepsi, he headed upstairs to the guest room he was staying in to go to sleep. As he walked down the narrow hallway, he heard muffled sobs and sniffles as he walked past AJ's room. With a sigh he stopped at the door and listened. He knew she would be crying.

"AJ?" Punk asked as he leaned up against the door. "Are you alright?" He continued as his hand rested on the doorknob, contemplating whether he should open the door or not.

"Yeah." The spitfire answered. "I'm fine... You should go to bed." She called out, but Punk was not convinced.

"I'm coming in, okay?" He said as he pushed the door open gently and found AJ in the fetal position on her big bed. "Everything alright?" He asked as he sat down on the bed beside the crying diva.

"Going to look at these families... It just doesn't feel right. They're all strangers, and I don't want a stranger to have my baby..." AJ sniffled as she struggled to sit up in the bed so that she could look at Punk. "Punk, can I ask you something?" AJ asked.

"Sure..." Punk replied as he nodded.

"Could you take care of my baby...?" She asked as she looked up at him with doe eyes that were filled with tears. The straight edge man was taken aback at her bold question. Was she being serious right now? Or was she just so sleepy that she didn't know what she wanted. "Please?"

"AJ..." Punk started. "You can't ask me to do that... I'm not fit to be a father."

"I know it sounds silly, stupid even... But I can't picture my baby with anyone else but you. I've dreamt about it, you holding my baby. It'll be happy with you." The petite diva said. "I love you." AJ confessed.

"I love you too AJ, but do you really honestly think it would work out?" The tattooed man asked.

AJ nodded, "I believe in you. You can take of the baby. I'll get the adoption papers tomorrow, we'll work everything out."

"Okay. I'll do it." Punk nodded, but in all honestly he didn't know what he was getting himself into, he was scared beyond belief. Time was moving too fast and before you knew it, a week later, AJ went into labor and it was already time to say goodbye.


	5. Goodbye

The birth was rough. CM Punk wasn't sure whether AJ would make it or not. Her body was already weak, but still, he had to have a little bit of hope or something. Sometimes the doctor's predictions aren't correct, but he didn't know what to think. He couldn't keep his eyes off the heart monitor as he held AJ's hand and encouraged her. How long did she have left?

Ten hours later, after much hard work and nervousness, AJ gave birth to a more than healthy little baby girl. She had brown hair, and brown eyes, and looked just like the spitting image of AJ. Punk was so happy that the little girl looked nothing like Dolph Ziggler. It would make it easier on telling her she was adopted in the future, if that time even came.

"AJ, can you hear me?" Punk asked as the doctor took the newborn away to get cleaned up and weighed. "Your baby is here, did you hear her cry?" He asked with a smile as he looked down at AJ's frail petite frame. She looked weak, which wasn't a good sign, and she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Punk..." The spitfire managed to get out. "She's your baby now..." AJ added with a sad smile. Did she know she wasn't going to make it? Did she feel it inside?

"AJ, don't say that... You're gonna make it..." Punk tried to say, but in the back of his mind, she knew she wouldn't. This was time to say goodbye. "Look at her, look at your baby..." The straight edge man said as his eyes drifted back to the heart monitor, which was extremely low, and slowing down at each second.

"I want you to spoil her. Buy her anything she wants..." AJ kept saying as her heart monitor kept beeping slower and slower. "Teach her everything, take her to kindergarten... Just love her, and be a good dad."

"I will AJ." Punk said proudly as tears started to well up in his green eyes. "I promise."

"Thank you." AJ said as a tear slid down her cheek, and those were her last words as her heart monitor faded to a slow and steady beep. Her heart had finally given out, and she didn't make it. CM Punk, he felt like crying, he had a huge lump in his throat. AJ was his other half, his better half, and maybe if he hadn't let her go the first time, they wouldn't even be in this situation.

"No, AJ, thank you..." Punk whispered as a lone tear slid down his cheek. He knew he'd probably be the one who would plan the funeral and everything like that, but he wouldn't worry about that right now. He just wanted to see his daughter, the best thing that AJ could have ever given him.

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_Six years later~_

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The sun shone down bright at the New Jersey cemetery, as CM Punk and his daughter pulled up to park alongside the road. Of course, they were here to see AJ, and this would be a first for his daughter. Punk stepped out of the car and opened up the back door for his little girl. She jumped out of the car immediately and started to run away; her chocolate waves of hair flowing through the breeze.

"April!" Punk yelled, "Get back here, and stay close to me!" He added to his daughter. That's right, he named her April because he wanted to carry on AJ's legacy. She deserved that much.

"Coming daddy!" April replied as she ran back to her dad and grabbed his hand tightly. "What is this place?" She asked curiously as she looked around with her big doe eyes. "I've never been here before." She added.

"I know you haven't." Punk said as he walked in the grass with his daughter, careful not to step on any graves.

"Then what are we doing?" She asked again.

"We're here to visit mommy." Punk answered, because honestly, he really didn't know how to explain a cemetery to a six-year-old.

"Mommy lives here?" April asked a little confused as they finally reached AJ's headstone. Sure, Punk had shown April pictures of her mom, but he had never told her that she was dead. He didn't know how to tell her. But today, he just felt like it was time. April was always asking about her mom, and Punk had no idea how to answer her.

"She doesn't live here, she's on vacation..." Punk spoke softly as he sat down in the moist grass. He wasn't sure if April understood him or not but she just nodded. "Come sit down with me, say hello." He gestured for the little girl to sit in his lap.

"Can she hear me?" April asked as she looked at her daddy with a small smile.

Punk chuckled, "Of course she can."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure April."

"Hello mommy!" April said. Punk just sat there and watched with tears in his eyes as April sat there and nearly told every detail of her life to AJ. He was amazed at his little girl. "Daddy says I'll get to see you one day... I hope he's right!" April concluded as she stood up to look at the headstone.

It seemed it was only yesterday when AJ dropped her biscuits on the floor and Punk asked her to dinner. Punk was glad he did it though, because he was doing AJ a great favor. She trusted him enough to take care of her baby, and he was grateful for that. It was a favor for the both of them.

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**Author's Note: And we've reached the end! This will probably be my last Punklee story for a while because currently, I'm stuck on Kaitmus! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed. c:**


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